Market Access Requirements of Kenyan Fresh Avocado Fruits into India

The Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has communicated through a gazette notice dated August 16, 2023, on the requirements to allow Kenya to export fresh avocado fruits into India. Kenya is to assure the consignment’s freedom from insects or mites of concern.

The pests of concern to India are Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly), Ceratitis cosyra (Marula fruit fly), Ceratitis rosa (Natal fruit fly), Ceroplastes destructor (white wax scale), Cryptophlebia leucotreta (false coding moth), Pseudotheraptus wayi (coconut bug), Selenaspidus articulates (West Indian red scale), and Spodoptera littoralis (cotton leaf worm).

The assurance of freedom from the pests of concern listed above will entail the application of the following measures:

1. Registration of avocado orchards to supply to the Indian market, which should have linkages with approved packhouses

2. Approval of the packhouse to be used for post-harvest processing of avocado fruits. Use of closed trucks to transport harvested fruits from orchards to the designated packhouses.

3. Sorting, grading, and culling are done in the approved packhouse, and fruits meant for export to India are separately stored from fruits processed for other market destinations.

4. KEPHIS inspection of produce prior to shipment

5. Methyl bromide fumigation at 32 g/m3 for 2 hours at 21°C or above at NAP or equivalent thereof against Mediterranean fruit fly and Natal fruit fly Or pre-shipment cold treatment at 0°C or below for 10 days; 0.55°C or below for 1 day; 1.1°C or below for 12 days.